diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 10641846b3..5254552551 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -11509,7 +11509,7 @@ qemuDomainOpenFile(virQEMUDriver *driver,
         (seclabel = virDomainDefGetSecurityLabelDef(vm->def, "dac")) != NULL &&
         seclabel->label != NULL &&
         (virParseOwnershipIds(seclabel->label, &user, &group) < 0))
-        return -1;
+        return -EINVAL;
 
     return virQEMUFileOpenAs(user, group, dynamicOwnership,
                              path, oflags, needUnlink);